Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is an icon of the Nariño department. The Galeras volcano, its main attraction, is one of the most active in the continent. Some of its calderas constantly expel gases, while other extinct ones testify to its past activity. Part of the Sanctuary is located in an area of high volcanic threat, as it is part of a volcanic complex. Its wealth is reflected in the great variety of species of flora and fauna found in the páramo, high Andean forests and Andean forests in the protected area. It also has lagoons and different sources of water that feed the local aqueducts.
The SFF Galeras, alindo, reservo and declare through Agreement 013 of 1985 of the board of directors of the National Institute of Renewable Natural Resources and Environment -INDERENA, approved by Resolution 052 of March 22, 1985 of the Ministry of Agriculture, with an area of Seven Thousand Six Hundred Fifteen hectares approximately (7.615) and an altitudinal distribution between the 1950 meters in the municipality of Consacá and the 4.276 meters in the top of the Galeras Volcano. The Sanctuary was built with 35 boundary stones. Gómez et al in 2004 during their study, recalculated the surface area of the SFF Galeras, finding that the polygon value of the protected area reaches 8,215.4 ha.
The SFF Galeras is part of the eastern center branch of the Western Cordillera of the Colombian Andes in the Nudo de los Pastos, extreme south-western department of Nariño, in Colombia.
The Sanctuary is made up of territorial areas of seven municipalities: Nariño, La Florida, Sandoná, Consacá, Yacuanquer, Tángua and Pasto. The protected area has an administrative headquarters in the city of Pasto and three control and surveillance cabins in the sectors of: Sector Urcunina (Municipality of Pasto), Laguna Negra (municipalities of Pasto and Tángua) and Telpis Lagoon (Yacuanquer) .
The richness of the SFF Galeras is reflected in the great variety of flora and fauna species that can be found from the upper limits in the páramo, on the summit of the Volcanic Cone, to the warm temperatures over the small inter-Andean valleys of the temperate zone in the sectors of Consacá and Sandoná, where there is great variety and floristic and faunal diversity of the Andean and Andean forests of the volcanic complex. The baseline information currently available to the Sanctuary has been the result of the compilation of research studies and, importantly, the implementation of the Monitoring Program that has contributed to the knowledge of the state and pressures of VOCs and, in general, biodiversity. of the area and its surrounding area.
